Mattacola Law Matters - New Issue - Check It Out!

Posted in Life ::: March 8, 2010 12:38 PM

The newest addition of Mattacola Law Matters is ready for your viewing/reading enjoyment - it can be found here: http://www.themattacolafirm.com/LawMattersVol2Issue1.pdf 

In it you'll find everything from news on great upcoming events, legal updates, good food wisdom and more.  We hope you enjoy it.

Guest Article on Better Health

Posted in Life ::: February 10, 2010 8:47 AM

Yours truly wrote a guest article on the subject of the overall health and quality of life for lawyers, for the site lawyerist which is a cool conglomeration of blog posts on all things legal. This will be one of a series - check it out here: http://lawyerist.com/ 

Food and Twigs and Facial Hair - Oh My!

Posted in Life ::: November 8, 2009 4:44 PM

 If you haven't noticed, I try pretty hard to intersperse the boring legalese with some odds and ends of "life" and "community".  It's kind of the whole theme here on this hugely read and widely demanded blog.  Cough.  If there were another theme, it'd be balance.  Balance, actually, is the mother of all these things and what allows me to do what I do.  There'd be no way I could run my practice well, be a Husband and a Dad, contribute to my community and take care of myself via running and nutrition without balance.  You've got to keep it all in perspective and keep all these things moving forward in a positive direction.  

Just recently, we've had three happenings at the Firm that speak to the whole balance thing and from which I'm still feeling ripples of positive change.  It's been an amazing few weeks to say the least.  

First, on October 22nd, I sponsored the movie Food, Inc. to come to the Capitol.  I wanted people in Rome and the surrounding area to get a chance to see this important documentary.  Nearly 200 people came.  Eyes were opened about our food industry and just where our food comes from and how it's produced and the effects on the environment and our workforce and most importantly, our health.  I cannot tell you the amount of people who have thanked me for bringing it and who have told me they've made changes in their shopping/eating habits as a result.  It's mind blowing and humbling.  Many have asked me about local places to get meat that isn't raised with steroids and genetically modified corn.  One such place that you can check out is Winters Grass Farm - Jordan Winters is the rock star there.  Here is the link:  http://www.wintersgrassfarm.com/ 

Jordan actually apprenticed with the farmer in Food, Inc. - Joel Salatin - you will remember Joel as the "good guy" as my kids refer to him.  His beef and poultry are grass fed and natural and humanely treated.  Take a ride to Holland Patent, it will be worth it.  

On October 28th, I spoke to the Rome Twigs at their annual dinner - they are the volunteer army at Rome Memorial Hospital.  I was the keynote speaker and the topic, as given to me, was 'Friendship, Sharing and Laughter'.  A slightly random topic but I ran with it and enjoyed the time with the Twigs .  The overall theme?  Simple.  Let us all stop being brainwashed by Madison Avenue and stop seeking the great white whale of perfection - doesn't exist.  And we are wasting life's precious moments in this foolish pursuit.  Let us live our life with love, with friendship, with sharing, with laughter - let us celebrate our imperfections and not chase after windmills trying to get what isn't possible.  It was a tremendous evening and one which I'm still receiving gratitude from.  Good stuff.  

And finally - gnarly facial hair.  Yes, that is a moustache sprouting on my upper lip if you've seen me in the past week.  it's part of an international movement called Movember - Mo being the nickname for a moustache in Australia where this started.  It is part of dedicating the month of November, now Movember, to men's health issues.  This year, the funds we are raising are going to the Prostate Cancer Foundation and Livestrong.  As part of this fun endeavor, I've been dropping some healthy tips on Facebook and Twitter here and there.  I've already had someone tell me that I've inspired him to fix some bad health habits he's gotten himself into.  That is pure gold.  I can't tell you how fired up that makes me.  If you are interested in donating to our team, Team Captain Kangaroo (the Captain had one fine Mo), here is the link:  http://us.movember.com/mospace/232957/ 

We would be grateful for anything you might want to do - it's for cancer awareness and prevention - it's for awful facial hair - how can you go wrong?  

So there you have it - Food, Twigs and Facial Hair.  Oh my.  it's all good stuff and that which I am very proud of.  I need to go grow my Mo now.  Onward.  

When A Virtual Facebook Poke Equals The Real Thing

Posted in Life ::: October 21, 2009 2:20 PM

We keep seeing social networking and virtual on-line relationships cross over into hard reality and here is yet another example.  A Tennessee woman is charged with vioating an order of protection by reaching out and "poking" another woman on Facebook.    The story is here:  http://www.abajournal.com/news/did_court_order_ban_facebook_poke

It makes sense to me personally.  A "stay away" order is just that - it means you have to completely refrain from contacting that person whether it be in person or via cell phone or tweet or Facebook poke.  Once you start saying some things count and others don't, it turns into an administrative nightmare.  It will be interesting to see the outcome of this case. 

If not now, when?

Posted in Life ::: September 29, 2009 12:54 PM

How many of my entrepreneur/business owner friends have uttered these lines?  "As soon as I get this loan paid off for the business, I can finally do that remodeling job at home."  Or "If this contract comes in, we will be able to do a vacation this year."  Or "If can just get past these next couple weeks, then life will calm down."  Or multiple variations of these?  C'mon, don't lie to me and more importantly, don't lie to yourself - I know you have. 

And that's okay.  Building a business is hard work.  It's rewarding, don't get me wrong but it often takes over at the expense of all aspects of life including health, family and fun.  There may be times when this is unavoidable.  And there are definitely other times when you simply have to say, "No, I am taking that trip with my family because I'm only getting one shot at my kids' upbringing and they deserve to have this memory."  It's recognizing those times and forcing yourself to do it that is the hard part.

Here's a nice article recently in Inc. Magazine about just this topic:  http://www.inc.com/magazine/20090901/balancing-acts-if-not-now-when.html , written by one of the owners of Stonyfield Farm.  Perhaps the most important takeaway from this article besides the obvious of forcing yourself to enjoy life as you build your business is the part about separating your feelings/reactions to your businss (fearful, stressed, depressed, you name it) from your feelings about your family and your personal life (thankful, optimistic, content).  Not an easy separation to make but an important one. 

So, my friends, I ask you, if not now, when?  We are getting only one turn on this ride, we should take some time to enjoy it, no?

 

Keeping it fun equals a Wiin in fitness.

Posted in Life ::: September 28, 2009 12:51 PM

I've never been a huge proponent of video games.  I balked at the idea of getting exercise through a video game when the Wii Fit came out and maintained that the great outdoors was the best place to get your workout.  I still believe that.  Yet, at the same time, I have always said that you need to keep it fun in order to maintain fitness as a steady focal point in your life.  It's important to constantly mix your workouts up and avoid boredom and monotony. This will equate to more consistent fitness versus always starting and stopping. 

Apparently this also goes for professional athletes too.  Here's a neat little story about relief pitcher Heath Bell who has lost 25 or so pounds, due in large part to rocking the Hula Hoop game on the Wii fit.  http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/documents/info-WORKOUT09.html  I find it amazing that a major league pitcher, with all the resources around him for training and nutrition that one could ask for, needs to rely on the Wii Fit to stay in shape but hey, whatever works right?  With the soon to come release of the Tony Hawk Wii skateboard game that has you standing on a real skateboard, sans wheels, I just may cave in on this Wii thing yet!  The moral of the story, to me, is that variety is the spice of life when it comes to staying in shape.  Running, biking, swimming, hiking, skateboarding and yes even the Wii Fit - the more you can throw in the mix the better off you will be in the long run.  Enjoy the ride.

Living On Purpose

Posted in Life ::: September 16, 2009 1:50 PM

I was fortunate enough today to speak with the empoyees of the Rome office of Par Technology about achieving a balanced life.  This topic and wellness in general, is something I've been focusing a lot of attention on in 2009.  What I spoke of today had a lot to do with a term I've heard (I'm not sure where I first heard it), that being "living on purpose".  I like that.  To me, that means sitting down and visualizing where you want your life to be and how that feels.  Then, the next step is to actually map it out and write it down.  When you write something down, it becomes real.  Then you actively take steps to implement that vision into reality.  You identify the things that are keeping you from achieving that reality and you map out ways to overcome those obstacles.  It could be deleting them from your life entirely or delegating the task of dealing with them.  If you cannot do either of those things, then you find the next best soluton, implement it and move on to the next obstacle.  You do this until you have eliminated/solved the things that are keeping you from achieving your vision.  It's living on purpose - going through life with identified goals and tailoring your activities towards those goals.  Living on purpose versus living by accident, i.e., allowing life to simply carry you along and then one day you look around and say "How did I get here?".   There was much more covered as I essentially crammed six hours of material into one hour long session but this was one of the main points.  Here's to all of us, llving our lives on purpose versus by accident.   Enjoy the ride.

Arrive looking for a celebrity nudey shot. Leave with a virus. Serves you right!

Posted in Life ::: July 22, 2009 10:21 AM

I detest spam and viruses.  Hundreds of spam messages clog up my blog's comment software weekly.  It greatly annoys me.  Viruses are even worse - one of the reasons why I'm slowly and surely converting to Macs.  Yet, here is maybe the first example of viruses being cool.  Apparently, a video hit the net recently of ESPN anchor Erin Andrews that was taken from a peep hole in her hotel room and which shows her nude.  Once the story hit, bunches of losers went surfing the net looking for the video.  Instead they were surprised with a virus.  Here's the story.  http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2009/07/20/2009-07-20_hackers_create_links_to_naked_footage_of_espn_reporter_erin_andrews_results_in_d.html

Memo to the morons: You deserve every bit of that virus.  Yes, Erin Andrews is attractive.  And if she willingly posed for photos at some point in time, then she deserves to be googled.  But she didn't.  She had her privacy invaded unknowingly and is taking legal action to stop it.  Don't encourage the dirtbags who do these things by searching for their smut.  But if you do, you deserve this computer version of an STD.  I find it a fitting reward. 

Addiction to Technology? Lawyers? Me? Noooooo.

Posted in Life ::: July 22, 2009 8:49 AM

This ground breaking article says that talking/texting/twittering/e-mailing on your cell phone while driving may be dangerous.  http://www.abajournal.com/news/can_you_drive_and_talk_on_your_cell_phone_not_very_well_studies_say  Really?  I don't mean to make light and yes, I'm guilty.  I talk, I text, I check e-mail - all while driving.  Horrible, I know.  I'd like to say that I try to keep it to a minimum and that I'm safe about it but I'm sure there are times when I'm not.  I don't know about an addiction to the "intensity" as this guy suggests.  To me, it's about mazimizing time and multi-tasking and putting down time to good use.  I do try to use the hands free device (when I remember) and to keep the calls short.  What's the answer?  Beats me.  In today's world, people and clients are spoiled.  They want instant access and instant responses.  Gone are the days of waiting two days for the letter to arrive to get your answer.  They want it now.  To compete, you have to deliver.  So, will I change my multi-tasking ways?  Not a chance.  But I will continue to try to be safe about it.  You should too. 

CHRISTMAS IN JULY

Posted in Life ::: July 10, 2009 10:40 AM

This Sunday, July 12, is one of my favorite days of the year, Christmas in July, the Utica Boilermaker.  Whether you run or not, this day has it all.  Runners of all shapes, sizes and speeds from all over the world including some of the finest competitive runners around; fantastic crowds and fans; music and other performances along the course; and of course, a finish at the Matt's Brewery with the finest post-race party around.  How can you beat an event that draws thousands and thousands to the Mohawk Valley and shows our area in the finest light possible?  You simply cannot.  And when was the last time you had a beer at 9:30 in the morning and found it to be completely acceptable and even encouraged?  Better not answer that.  If you want to experience the jewel of Summer here in the Valley, come on down this Sunday.  I guarantee an enjoyable time. 

Celebrate Our Community!

Posted in Life ::: July 6, 2009 1:14 PM

Recently, I had the pleasure of writing a guest editorial for the Observer Dispatch.  The piece contemplated the ten years of the Accent on Excellence Award which is sponsored by the OD and Northland Communications, and which I was lucky enough to receive in 2006.  It also spoke of life in the Mohawk Valley and all there is to celebrate.  For those that are interested, here is the link.  http://www.uticaod.com/viewpoints/x488805799/Guest-view-We-have-much-to-recognize-celebrate  Enjoy. 

ARE YOU HAPPY LIKE GOD?

Posted in Life ::: May 26, 2009 2:30 PM

As I write this, I have dual computer screens working in front of me, with my laptop not more than a foot from me playing music.  My iPhone is  charging to my left and my Blackberry (still cannot bring myself to completely retire it) is in my briefcase near my feet.  The phones are ringing, the fax is humming and e-mails continue to come in.  I am the workplace definition of Attention Defiicit Disorder. 

And amid the chaos, this article caught my eye today  http://happydays.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/25/happy-like-god/

It speaks to finding happiness in contemplation and solitude, finding that state of being which Rousseau spoke of "where the soul can find a resting-place secure enough to establish itself and concentrate its entire being there, with no need to remember the past or reach into the future, where time is nothing to it, where the present runs on indefinitely but this duration goes unnoticed, with no sign of passing of time, and no other feeling of deprivation or enjoyment, pleasure or pain, desire or fear than the simple feeling of existence . . . as long as this state lasts, we can call ourselves happy."  That is some good poop.  Read the article, it's worth the few minutes. 

I've often yearned for the Thoreau existence but until I can move this whole kit and caboodle to Walden, that's not happening anytime soon.  So, what is one to do?  You have got to be selfish, in my view.  You have to protectively and fiercely carve out moments where you can just be - moments where the technology goes to the wayside and where you cannot be reached and your mind can be wiped clear like an Etch-a-Sketch.  For me, it's running.  For you, it may be painting, writing, naked Twister - whatever  it is - find it and make it yours and protect it.  Then down the road, we can all find our respective Walden Ponds and work even more on this concept of just being.  See you there.

THE EBB AND FLOW

Posted in Life ::: May 21, 2009 10:42 AM

Okay, right off the bat, yes I've been totally remiss about my blogging and for that, sorry.  However, I'm not all that sorry, because just as we told you from jump street, our firm, and this blog, are about law, life and community.  And sometimes, in the ebb and flow of those things, one area takes a pole position over the others. 

Over the past three weeks, it's been all life and community with law a close second and very little time left over for blogging.  Just from April 27 to May 21, here's what we've been involved in:  Bowling Tournament for the Rome Hospital Foundation (Ahem, high score for this building belongs to yours truly); wrote and acted in a mock trial for Rome Memorial Hospital Nurses' Week (much fun, see picture attached); rode the 100 mile Ride for Missing Children for the 5th year and raised $1,000 for missing children posters in the process; and moderated the Legends of the Diamond Dinner that featured Ken Griffey, Sr. with all proceeds going to the projects of Rome Lions and Lake Delta Kiwanis (Griffey, Sr. was a gem by the way, a true gentleman and a great storyteller, a treat for me to interview).

On top of all that, throw in helping to coach my two boys' ragtag baseball team, a Springsteen concert and running a half marathon for good measure.  And still to come in May is our rescheduled Identity Theft Seminar that takes place on May 27th at 6:00 p.m. at the Rome Area Chamber of Commerce offices.  If interested, give me a call. 

So, we've been a bit busy but sometimes, living life takes precedence over writing about it.  This was once of those times, a whirlwind of a month that was much fun but just a bit crazy.  It'd be nice to space these things out a little better but hey, what are you going to do?  We only get one go-around on this amusement ride so you've got to make it count.  I will blog more regularly for you, I promise, but in the meanwhile, get out there and enjoy your own ride.  I shouldn't be the only one having all the fun!

 

 

 

MADNESS AND SADNESS IN UPSTATE NEW YORK

Posted in Life ::: April 5, 2009 8:12 AM

 Anytime senseless, violent tragedy strikes in America, no matter where it is, it hits home.  You wonder how something like that could happen, what caused it and pray that it doesn't come to your town.  The shooting this past week in Binghamton, New York hit even closer.  Binghamton is a very similar place to the Rome/Utica area - part of the Upstate "Appalachia" that former Governor Spitzer dubbed it before his fall from grace.  

When something like this happens, one wonders what could drive someone to madness of this magnitude - to enter an immigration facility, block the rear exit and murder thirteen people and then himself.  One imagines the horror of those inside - most of them refugees and immigrants there to learn English and other skills for being productive in this country - as the shots rang out and they realized they had no place to run to.  One wonders how the secretary Shirley DeLucia had the courage and presence of mind to fake being dead after being shot and then call 911 and stay on the phone with the authorities while the shooter was still in the building.  Still in critical condition, DeLucia is a hero.  One wonders all this and then tries to drive these horrors out of mind and move on.  

We shouldn't move on so quickly.  The shooter, Jiverly Wong, was a Vietnamese immigrant who had used this very immigration center himself, taking English classes.  He apparently had just recently lost his job at a Shop-Vac plant in Binghamton and believed people had been making fun of him for his poor English.  

These are scary and stressful times.  The national economy and job market are causing much pain.  The jobless rate is over double digits in some areas.  People are struggling.  The stressors are adding up.  Combine those stressors with other factors - some genetic perhaps, some learned - and there are more than likely a great many time bombs walking around among us.  Park Dietz, a forensic psychiatrist was quoted as saying "People who end up doing this particular thing have an accumulation of stressors in their lives and ultimately there is one that broke the camel's back.  Job loss is one of the big ones and those stressors are happening more often this year."

Contiguous to this is the growing tension in this country with regard to immigrants and refugees.  There are a great many who, as the economy gets worse and jobs become more scarce, are growing ever more resentful toward those who come here to make a better life for themselves.  Their treatment of these people is lacking in warmth, to say the least.  

I don't pretend to have answers.  But I do know that thought and contemplation of these issues should be given - that we should not be so quick to push this scene out of our minds and hope it doesn't come to our town.  And perhaps, if we encounter a situation, a person, who we see in pain, who we see struggling - maybe we try to help.  There are a great many resources out there and very often, someone in pain will simply not avail themselves on their own - they need help getting there.  And if we are not the person to provide that help, which we may very well not be, then bring in someone who is.  Yes, these are scary and stressful times.  And as much as ever before, people need to feel that they have support and love and that they are not alone.  That could very well be the difference between the bomb going off or being defused.  

*#$%!!*! UNDO! UNDO! UNDO!

Posted in Life ::: March 27, 2009 11:50 AM

We've all done it.  You know the scenario.  You get an email that was sent to a bunch of people (for instance one of those very touchy-feely heartwarming stories that encourages you to send this to 20 people in order to ensure your place in heaven) and you type a slightly sarcastic remark to which you know the sender would "get" and not take offense because you know him well.  However, there are some other people on that list that might not appreciate your rapier like wit, to  say the least. You hit "reply all" by accident and off it goes.  Impossible to get back. The moment you realize this, profanity pierces the air, your heart starts beating fast and you painfully wait for the fallout.  Or so people have told me. 

The smart folks at Google have given us a chance at redemption.  You can now enable an "undo send" feature on your GMail and after you send an e-mail, for a glorious five seconds, you have the option to undo that decision and get a mulligan.  Just Beautiful.  Hopefully Microsoft Outlook and the rest follow suit because this is a needed feature!  To do this, in GMail, click on 'Settings' and then the "labs" tab and you will see the option to enable "undo send".  I've given it a test drive and it really works.  Just another useful Public Service Accouncement from The Mattacola Law Firm.  Enjoy.

Who Does A Kid Look Up To?

Posted in Life ::: February 12, 2009 6:48 AM

 If you are a sports fan and pick up a paper, log on to espn.com or watch the news, you have got to wonder what it's all come to.  Alex Rodriguez admits to steroids during the height of his performance with the Rangers due to the pressure of his big contract there.  Yet, he says he hasn't done it with the Yankees - why, because there is no pressure playing in New York for the Steinbrenner family? Hard to stomach.  Another former baseball MVP Miguel Tejada just plead guilty to lying to Congress about steroid use, a misdemeanor.  It makes you wonder when Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire will finally pony up for their less than stellar congressional performances and admit to what we all believe went down.  On a slightly different note, an ex-girlfriend of Roberto Alomar, one of the game's best second basemen ever, is suing him for having been forced to have unprotected sex with him for four years despite him having AIDS.  These are just allegations remember but nonetheless, bizarre.  And Brett Favre is retiring - again.  What's this - ten times?  Feels like it.  Brett, and I speak for everyone, just please go away already.  You took a Hall of Fame career and made us sick of you, not easy to do, but you accomplished it nicely.  And all this is literally just what's in today's headlines.  It makes you wonder if there are any sports heroes left.  And you know what, there are some.  Yet, it's not the guys making millions.  It's the guy strapping on his prosthetic leg and gutting out a marathon in relative obscurity.  It's the high school kids playing sports for the sheer joy of the game, with no illusions about money, entourages or "making it rain".  Professional sports will always have its place and I'll be no different from the other addicts, I'll still watch, I'll still go to games.  Yet, as far as teaching my kids about people to look up to? Forgive me if I point them in a different direction.  

Stormy Does D.C.

Posted in Life ::: February 9, 2009 10:50 AM

There are certain "professions" that I've always deemed just a step above the adult film industry and it is a very short step.  Magicians come to mind.  Escape Artists.  Mimes. Clowns.  Pretty much all circus or carnival performers.  In all of these, I am always half waiting for the porn music to kick in and for the "artists" to shed that last very small vestige of legitimacy and get down to . . . well you know.  Yet, despite all its malfunctions and dysfunctions, I had never quite put the U.S. Senate into that category.  Until now. 

It appears that adult film actress Stomy Daniels is considering a Senate run in 2010 in Louisiana.  Hmmmm.  We've had professional athletes become Senators. We've had a professional wrestler become Governor.  We've had actors become Governor and even President.  Can a porn star be Senator?  Beats me but the idea is garnering some attention. http://draftstormy.com/ 

We probably do not need a porn star in the Senate.  But boy, would it be fun to watch.  Can you imagine her going head to head (perhaps a bad choice of words) with a bible belt conservative over the stimulus package (perhaps another bad choice of words)?  Stranger things have happened in Washington.  What is that music I'm hearing? 

Lance - Glad To Have You Back!

Posted in Life ::: January 18, 2009 12:24 PM

Lance Armstrong returned to cycling today by finishing squarely in the middle of the pack, by design, in a 30 mile criterium in Australia.  The link to the story is here: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/cycling/2009-01-18-armstrong-tdu-crit_N.htm?csp=34  Lance will begin his long trek (no pun intended) back to competitive cycling for earnest when he competes in the six day Tour Down Under which starts this upcoming week.  No matter what you think about Armstrong and this comeback, in my view, it's good all around.  He is the most recognizable name in professional cycling to the world outside of the hard core enthusiasts.  He helps the sport by being a part of it.  And his fight against cancer is helped, not hindered, by him being an active cyclist.  This ugly disease is in need of a knockout punch and he can raise more money and can spread the message more effectively by being active.  And quite frankly, I still believe the guy has something in the tank.  Maybe it's one 37 year old wanting another 37 year old to show the world that he can still bring it, but I'm looking forward to following this.

And what's this got to do with law? Nada. But if you were expecting soley legal updates, then you haven't been paying attention.  Law. Life. Community.  It's all fair game.  Let it rip Lance.

 

A Year of Great Change

Posted in Life ::: December 31, 2008 2:06 PM

Wow, what a year 2008 was. It was certainly the year of change. From President Elect Obama's historic election to the spiraling economy to the many significant changes in various labor and employment laws, both Federal and in New York - this year had it all. I expounded upon all these things in detail in our last firm newsletter, found at http://www.themattacolafirm.com/Issue5.pdf, so please feel free to check it out. Yet, my view of 2008 comes down to this - the more things change, the more they stay the same. As the economy was blowing up and our nation faced some of the darkest days ever, it was the businesses that focused on the basics that survived and even thrived. And it was the guy who spoke to people on a very personal level, while utilizing 21st century technology, whose Presidential campaign was victorious. Those are good lessons for all to follow. One needs to adapt to new innovations while still maintaining the old school foundations of communication, responsiveness and client service. That's what we strive to do at our shop. So, tonight, sip your champagne and usher in the New Year and look forward to a year full of new possiblilities. And yes, we will be here for you as you seek to master those possibilities - practicing old school client service while utilizing everything 2009 has to offer. Happy New Year my friends. Enjoy The Ride.d

Baseball

Posted in Life ::: October 30, 2008 9:34 AM

It is a very strange feeling to sit in your living room and watch the end of a baseball game that started two days ago and which you were at.  The callings of a family, my business, my clients, etc. finally caught up with me and I could not manage to return to Philadelphia for the conclusion of Game 5.  And of course - the Phillies have just won and are World Champions!  My happiness at seeing my lifelong team win it all certainly outweighed the slightly weird feeling to see them win it at a game that I attended but which was suspended due to a monsoon.  Very strange.  Nonetheless, there is joy in Mudville and after 3 trips to Philadelphia in October, I am happy it’s all over and that the good guys won.

Birthday Thoughts

Posted in Life ::: October 28, 2008 5:58 PM

I just ushered in my birthday and am sore, soaking wet, freezing and stuck in a traffic jam.  Normally, when the clock strikes 12:01 a.m. on my birthday, I am fast asleep. After all, I have two young children, a fairly demanding job and like to be up early to run.  Yet, on this one, I am awake.  Why sore? A day ago, I ran the Cape Cod Marathon and let me dispel this myth - Cape Cod, especially Falmouth, is not flat! Why wet, freezing and in traffic? I was just at Game 5 of the World Series to see my beloved Phillies against the Tampa Bay Rays. And as you know by now (or not if you could care less about baseball), the game was suspended in the sixth inning due to some pretty awful weather. So, on a night that held the promise of me seeing the Phillies win it all, I have the beginnings of pneumonia and the game will be picked up and completed - tomorrow?  The next day? Only Mother Nature knows. And I may not be able to get back to Philly for the conclusion.  Yet, I don’t regret it.  With all the negatives associated with professional sports these days, and there are many, there is still something romantic about remaining faithful to your team for 30 years, despite much heartache and frustration.  And it is truly special to pass that on to your children. I began following the Phillies because at the time, Mike Schmidt was the greatest third baseman in the game (and, I would argue, ever) and my father was a fan.  Now, two generations later, my boys are hooked as well - they know Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, Jimmy Rollins - it’s fantastic.  They are learning what the game is about, watching a team strive for a goal and achieve against the odds - all great lessons.  And in my case, after many, many years of hoping that the Phillies see a better tomorrow, that better tomorrow might really be tomorrow.  I just with it had been tonight!